Freestanding Baths

Freestanding Baths are eye-catching, stylish and incredibly popular bathtubs that sit either flush to the floor or have decoratively fitted feet or legs. As the name suggests, they are not fitted against any wall or recessed into a surface meaning they can stand proudly in just about any position of a room.

Let’s also address a potential confusion point early on too. If you are beginning on your search for a freestanding bath, there may be a few different names you come across including:

• Free Standing Baths or Free-standing baths (space or hyphen optional)
• Stand Alone Baths
• Clawfoot Baths

Plus, the word 'freestanding' with a combination of any variant of baths such as 'bathtubs' or just 'tubs'! They are all the same thing, it just depends on where in the world it is, and also personal preference.

Freestanding baths are incredibly popular and really on trend. They are often seen as the ultimate aspirational item, and reflective of luxurious, indulgent bathing due to the many eye-catching styles and designs available. This includes numerous colours ranging from standard white to black, and even painted finishes, including options painted in the RAL colour of your choice. So, if a neon pink freestanding bath is what is really wanted, it can be done!

As to whether they are just a fad or a passing trend, this isn’t the case, as thousands of people still search for freestanding baths each year with Google Ads figures estimating between 14,000-22,000 people each month at present shopping around or researching the options available here in the UK. Freestanding baths have surged in popularity thanks in part to visibility from social media, and experiences people have had from luxury hotel spaces. With many brands now offering options, it has opened the door for freestanding baths to become an option for bathrooms of any size with lengths ranging from 1400mm up to 1800mm or 1900mm.

There are a number of reasons as to why a freestanding bath is advantageous over other types of baths:

• They can be installed across a space away from a wall as opposed to being fixed or having to be fitted in a certain location
• They create a focal point or stand-out centerpiece in a space
• They come in a large amount of styles, colours, designs and sizes offering incredible versatility and choice
• It creates a luxurious and premium bathing feel compared to other baths, which may be more about practicality
• Give others a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out!)

Take a look at what we have to offer above and it will illustrate the wide scope and costs available. Freestanding baths are more expensive than standard, fitted baths and all things relative, they can be expensive. The price point and investment depends on many factors including type, size, material and brand but start from around £500 at a low end and go upwards to the £5,000 mark for the most premium ones with most falling in the middle price brackets.

From a budgeting perspective, if a freestanding bath is on the ‘want’ list, it is always worth setting aside a bigger amount of the overall budget for this since it likely to be a key feature, and to get the perfect one for you since it is about investing in something with longevity and quality. This may mean spreading costs elsewhere to a lower price point but a great bathroom can still be created on a lower budget elsewhere without affecting the look or quality around the bath.

There are two elements to consider to this question. Firstly, when talking about installation positioning, a freestanding bath can be installed in many different locations across a space, as already mentioned in previous questions. However, it is always worth talking to a bathroom fitter or plumber about the plumbing and floor before proceeding, as this will advise on any specific locations that may or may not be most suited (or impact on costs associated with the fitting itself).

If asking whether a freestanding bath can move post-installation to be positioned differently when in use, the answer is no, they cannot move around. Like all baths, they have to be connected to plumbing, and so they will have to be fixed and secured for this reason.

However, if you did have a change of heart, it doesn’t mean they can’t be re-positioned down the line. It would just mean re-plumbing them, and paying someone to do the work if you can’t do it yourself.

No, not entirely. Small bathrooms are limiting by their size but that shouldn’t be a deterrent to having a freestanding bath. Like any other bath, it is just about measuring the that can be fitted in terms of length and width or outward depth. Larger bathrooms do benefit from experiencing the full pros of having a freestanding bath, however.

But back to wall baths, for example, can be fitted with one edge against a wall – exactly like a straight bath – if space is a limitation, while freestanding shower baths can also offer a stylish upgrade to a standard fitted bath.

When it comes to installing a freestanding bath, there are a few considerations to have that may affect budget and ability to install one:

• Plumbing and drainage – it needs to be able to connect to this and needs connecting so always budget for this work
• Floor – freestanding baths are quite heavy, so it has to be fitted on to a solid floor that can hold the weight of a bath, water, and also the weight of the user. This may mean structural changes
• Size of the space - You need to be able to get the bath into the space and that is suitable for a freestanding bath

Everyone’s perception of comfort is different. Ultimately, the aim of a good freestanding bath is to provide a luxurious bathing experience that makes you lie back, relax and almost never want to leave. Many manufacturers also look at the design and shaping of the bathing ends to make them more comfortable for users’ backs when lying into them.

Nevertheless, the dimensions of any bath can be restrictive, whether it is how narrow it is or how long it is. It is always worth test driving a few freestanding baths in a showroom to get a feel for the materials, styles, and designs to ensure you find one that is optimally comfortable for you. Come down to our bathroom showroom to try out the ones we have on display.

Yes – but it really depends on personal preference, and some may not be suitable at all. The main type you will come across are freestanding shower bath, which allow for pairing with an overhead shower. One end is fitted with a glass panel to stop splashing from shower, and sits with a straight edge against the wall. The other side can be used for bathing making it the perfect compromise for households where some members prefer the convenience of showering over bathing.

If you are looking at other designs and trying to combine the freestanding bath with a rainfall shower then it may mean reducing some of the benefits of a freestanding bath, as well as stylistically affecting the aesthetic appeal and glamour of having one. Firstly, it means the bath is going to be positioned close to a wall for the shower, and another consideration may be to fit into a wetroom system since there is a risk of water escape from when the shower is operational. Also, as a lot of freestanding baths aren’t designed (either in shape or ledge thickness) to be fitted with a screen, it means installing a shower curtain ring and having a shower curtain around to protect water from escaping. Whether this is visually appealing is personal opinion but it isn’t for everyone.

Nevertheless, an option would be to install a freestanding bath tap or wall mounted bath tap that comes with a shower handset. This can provide the option of rinsing off, either standing in the bath empty like a shower, or while at the same time as bathing to wash hair.

No. A lot of traditional designs tend to have feet or legs, with the iconic clawfoot bathtub one of the most popular options that people look out for. There are many choices of feet both in design and colour offered by some manufacturers, however, they aren’t a necessary addition for all freestanding baths.

In fact, there are plenty of options of freestanding bath that sit fully flush to the floor either with a recessed gap in the base for the waste and pipework to connect to or with the pipework running underneath the floor. So, if one with bath feet isn’t a preferred look, there are other options out there!

Like most baths, there are generally three types of material for freestanding baths:

• Acrylic
• Stone/Stone Resin or solid surface
• Metallics (Copper, Nickel, Brass, Tin)

Each material has their own pros and cons. Acrylic is the more affordable of the three, while stone and stone resin tends to be more expensive but durable and long-lasting. There are also a range of metallic options for people who want a stylish, traditional look, while these baths also conduct heat well to keep the warmth in. It really depends on budget and personal preference.

Yes – but only in larger spaces. Smaller bathrooms are extremely limited in space and size, so it is important to consider whether a freestanding bath is the right option for your space. The best of both worlds is a freestanding shower bath, which includes a freestanding bath, which has one flat edge to fit against a wall, and then a fitted glass panel to protect the shower area and avoid splashing from water.

If you have a larger space, then a separate freestanding tub and shower enclosure, or walk in shower or wetroom is possible as long as the plumbing allows. It can also take up a lot of space, though, and have an effect on the wider aesthetic and look of the space so it is not always ideal to have both.

Despite that, some people do look to convert their full bathroom into either a partial or full wetroom and use a glass panel to separate off the bath and showering area next to each other on one side, and the rest of the fixture and fittings on the other side for a stylish look. This combines both features into one area as well reducing the need for separate spaces for both.

It is always best to check with the manufacturer before you attempt any DIY on a bath, as they will give the best advice on how to not cause irreversible damage. However, some freestanding bath materials can be repainted if you want to change the look or even add a bit of colour after purchase. Our guide on how to paint a freestanding bathtub can guide through the steps and considerations.

All freestanding baths will be single ended or double ended, yes.

A single ended freestanding bath allows bathing from one side only and are usually designed with ergonomic bathing in mind, or simply a more comfortable incline to relax into. These generally include freestanding shower baths and slipper baths, as options that are always single-ended although there are other types of single-ended options.

Double ended freestanding baths are the options where you can bathe from either side of the bath, or two people can share the bath at once. Most boat baths will fall into this category, although you will find plenty of